Connor Barth kicked five field goals in the Broncos’ 29-16 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Nov. 30, 2014. (Joe Amon, The Denver Post)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Sand paper couldn’t wipe the smile off Connor Barth’s face. Sunday wasn’t his first NFL game. But it was his first with his new team. Following the Broncos’ worst special teams performance of the season, Barth made a memorable first impression, tying a franchise record with five field goals in Denver’s 29-16 trouncing of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Jason Elam last accomplished the feat in October 2002. Barth wears No. 1, in part, because he grew up idolizing the Broncos great.

And the forecast is predicting a dropoff into the 20s by kickoff. Weather makes for fun conversation, and it’s combatants are worthy of praise (I am sure there will be beverages to take the edge off in this wind). In Denver, the weather can be a sensitive subject. Not sure if you’ve heard, but Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning is 9-12 when the temperature reads 40 degrees or lower.

The Broncos’ Peyton Manning makes a pass under pressure in the first quarter of a game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver on Sept. 14, 2014. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

A look at the winners and losers from NFL Week 4.

THREE UP

1. Cowboys: DeMarco Murray is the NFL’s leading rusher by a whopping 49 yards per game.

2. Raiders: New head coach Tony Sparano is a dramatic improvement at the NFL’s second-most important position (QB is No. 1).

3. Chiefs: After nearly knocking off the Broncos in Game 2, they routed the Dolphins in Miami the and Patriots in Kansas City, Mo.

Kevin Vickerson slowly dressed as he spoke to a handful of reporters in the Kansas City locker room on Sunday night after the Chiefs’ 24-17 loss to the Broncos. On his mind? Getting another chance to beat Denver — the team that cut him at the end of August after four years of being the team’s starting defensive tackle.

“It was a business decision by them (the Broncos), a business decision by me to come here (to Kansas City) so I could play them twice,” Vickerson, 31, said. “They made a business decision; I made a business decision. I could have went to Cincinnati, but I chose these guys. That’s who we’re going to ride with: Chiefs.”

The NFL Players Association representatives late Friday unanimously approved the terms of a new drug policy that includes the implementation of testing for Human Growth Hormone and an increase in the threshold for testing positive for marijuana.

The decision sets up the possibility that Denver Broncos slot receiver Wes Welker will return to the field as soon as Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs. Welker will not be cleared to play until the NFL signs off on the agreement, too, which is expected on Saturday.

“This is a historic moment for our players and our league,” NFLPA president Eric Winston said in a statement. “We have collectively bargained drug policies that will keep the game clean and safe, but also provide our players with an unprecedented level of fairness and transparency. Players should be proud of their union for standing up for what was best for the game.”

Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning talks with Denver Broncos slot receiver Wes Welker, right, on the sidelines during their game against the Dallas Cowboys on Aug. 28, 2014 at AT&T Stadium. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

The NFL Players Association’s 32 team representatives will vote on a revised drug policy on Friday, according to two NFL sources close to negotiations.

One source said if the players approve the new policy Friday afternoon, Broncos’ receiver Wes Welker could be among several players reinstated from their suspensions by Friday night. The Broncos currently have just 52 players on their 53-man roster, so Welker could be added immediately once it gets word from the league.

Even if Welker’s four-game suspension is rescinded after he served just one game, it’s unclear whether the Broncos would activate him for their second game Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs. But all signs point to Welker being ready to play at a moment’s notice. He was cleared from his concussion injury last week by an independent doctor.

Kansas City Chiefs receiver Dwayne Bowe runs past a defender during an NFL football training camp Monday, July 28, 2014, on the Missouri Western State University campus in St. Joseph, Mo. (Todd Weddle, The St. Joseph News-Press)

By Dave Skretta
The Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe has been suspended for the season opener against Tennessee for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy.

Bowe was pulled over for speeding in a Kansas City suburb on Nov. 10, and was arrested after police found a black bag containing his wallet, driver’s license and two containers of suspected marijuana. He later pleaded guilty to amended charges of defective equipment and littering, and his attorney said there was no admission of guilt for the marijuana charge, which was dismissed.

Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno returned to practice Thursday, although he seemed to have a light workload. Moreno suffered a bruised right ankle on his 37th carry and 224th rushing yard Sunday night at New England.

Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman are expected to be ready in case Moreno’s playing time is limited Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Tight end Julius Thomas was limited in practice again Thursday. Thomas missed the New England game because of a knee sprain. If he can’t play again this week, Virgil Green will handle the at-the-line blocking duty with Jacob Tamme playing the role of receiving tight end.

Welcome to “ohmygosh, what’s wrong with Peyton?!” week. It’s been a blast. The long and short of it: his ankle is a little gimpy, but he’s playing on Sunday. Here’s a look back:

Monday: After returning from San Diego, the Broncos held their normal Monday availability. Jack Del Rio discussed Sunday’s game, and exactly zero offensive players who actually play showed up in the locker room.

The Broncos will play in primetime the following weekend, too, on Sunday against the New England Patriots at 6:30 p.m. on the road, also on NBC.

“We were informed by the league that this change was made to ensure the largest possible television audience would see the Broncos’ game against the Chiefs,” Broncos spokesman Patrick Smyth said. “Teams can play a maximum of six primetime games, which is what the Broncos are now set to play. This won’t have any impact on our Sunday Night Football game scheduled at New England the following week.”

Former Denver Broncos safety Hamza Abdullah, who played with the Broncos from 2005 to 2008, railed against the NFL, NFL Players Association, the NFL combine and commissioner Roger Goodell on his Twitter feed on Thursday, saying — among other things — that major hits he took in 2007 against the Tennessee Titans and Kansas City Chiefs while in Denver were misdiagnosed.

“Every player understood the risks of playing football, and we did it, and would do it over again!” Abdullah said on Twitter (warning: NSFW), before deleting that and many other messages laced with anger and profanity. “We just thought (and) assumed we would be taken care of after we were done.

“The reason players cover their injuries up, is because the contracts aren’t guaranteed.”

Denver Broncos fans care about Von Miller’s well-being as a person, sure. But forgive them if selfishly their primary concern is Miller doesn’t trip up again. He has proven to be a great defensive player. In his first two NFL seasons, he had 30 sacks in 31 games.

He’s already missed a significant portion of his third season and if he messes up again, he could be suspended for a full season. Why should they trust he will stay clean from now on?

“Trust, it’s hard to earn it. And it’s easy to lose it,” he said. “I don’t have a problem with that. I’m not going anywhere. I’m excited about the opportunity to earn everybody’s trust back.

“I can’t sit here today and say this and say that. It wouldn’t be logical. I can tell them that I’m taking it one day at a time and doing everything in my power to never be an issue. But I have to take it one day at a time.”

The kids have been pushing for two years now. Playing time opportunity for Julius Thomas and Virgil Green is now within their reach.

Injuries to veteran tight ends Joel Dreessen (knee) and Jacob Tamme (quad) should increase the reps this week for the third-year tight end duo of Thomas and Green.

Thomas a fourth-selection in the 2011 draft, has been getting his first-team chances at the “F” or “move” or “receiving” tight end position throughout the offseason and training camp. Because of a high ankle sprain from Hades, he has only played in 9 games through his first two NFL seasons and has just one catch.

Make no mistake, the Broncos are looking for a cornerback. The Broncos visited with veteran cornerback Dunta Robinson earlier Friday before he reportedly agreed to a three-year contract later in the day with the Kansas City Chiefs. The Broncos never got deep into negotiations.

Robinson, 30, was released last week by the Atlanta Falcons. Because he was then classified as a “street” free agent, Robinson was eligible to sign with a team, as opposed to the other players who won’t be officially classified as free agents until Tuesday.

Robinson is a physical corner who is better against the run than he is in coverage. In fact, he is one of the worst cover corners in the NFL. According to Pro Football Focus, opponents had the fifth-highest passer rating while throwing in his direction at 102.4. The worst cover corner? Philadelphia’s Nnamdi Asomugha who allowed a 120.6 passer rating.

He flew from Germany to Washington D.C., then arrived mid-afternoon today in Kansas City, where he will receive The Kansas City Committee of 101 AFC Offensive Player of the Year Award tonight. It’s the seventh time Manning has received the award, a record, and he has showed up to personally accept every time. His former University of Tennessee offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe was to present the award to Manning tonight.

Broncos right guard Chris Kuper is on the 46-man game day roster today but he won’t start against the Kansas City Chiefs. Manny Ramirez will get his 11th start at right guard.

Kuper has been out the past three games with a sprained left ankle and migraines. He will be able to knock off some rust on a couple special teams today but the plan is to not play him at guard until the playoffs.

Meanwhile, I just saw Broncos returner Trindon Holliday walk past the hallway outside the press box so he is officially out. Jim Leonhard will return punts and Omar Boldin will be the kickoff returner.

Mike Klis has been with The Denver Post since 1998, after working 13 years with the Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph. Major League Baseball was Klis' initial passion. He started covering the Colorado Rockies after Coors Field was approved for construction in August 1990.

Nicki Jhabvala is the Sports Digital News Editor for The Denver Post. Before arriving in Denver, she spent five years at Sports Illustrated working primarily as its online NBA editor, and she was most recently the overnight home page editor at the New York Times. She has reported regularly on the Broncos since joining the staff.

A published author and award-winning journalist, Benjamin Hochman is a sports columnist for The Denver Post. He previously worked on the staff of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, winners of two Pulitzer Prizes for their Hurricane Katrina coverage.